Australia's Response
The character and aim of Australia's immigration policy
up to the 1930s was aptly summed up by Prime Minister
Stanley Melbourne Bruce in 1925. Bruce wanted Australians
to remain "essentially and basically a British
(and white) people". In general, the Australian
community supported this ideal and favoured policies
which prevented alien immigrants from competing for
(white) 'Australian' jobs. Until 1939 there was official
support across the political spectrum the policy of
97% of immigrants being Anglo-Saxon. All migrants
from Europe were considered "alien".

Policy regarding the acceptance of Jewish refugees
into Australia was set in the context of this restrictive
thinking. When Hitler
came to power in 1933, Australians were still experiencing
the hardship of the economic Depression. Most Australians
were looking inwards to pressing domestic concerns,
as one third of the workforce was unemployed. Nevertheless,
the dramatic resurgence of Germany under the Nazis
figured prominently in foreign news reports.

Reports reached Australia of attacks against Jews
in Germany, but it was believed that these attacks
would be shortlived. The German Consul-General, R.
Asmis, denied the reports, calling them "untrue
and grossly exaggerated" (Sydney Morning Herald
S.M.H. March 30 1933). The newspaper countered Asmis'
statement two days later, saying "It is an unfortunate
blot on the progress of the nations towards peace
and goodwill that events in Germany include an outbreak
of hatred and intolerance against the Jews."
(S.M.H. April 1 1933). Above all, it was felt at the
time that the threat from Stalinist Russia was far
greater than that from Nazi Germany.

Humanitarian and sympathetic attitudes were expressed
by a number of prominent Australians. The moderator
of the Presbyterian Church in N.S.W. suggested that
different churches send a protest against the treatment
being accorded to the Jews in Germany, which had gone
patriotism-mad. Men, women and children, he said,
were being slaughtered for no reason and the atrocities
were worse than reported. It was time for people to
think internationally and to stand up for the right
of all sections. (S.M.H. April 4 1933). Bertram Stevens,
then Premier of N.S.W. stated at a public rally: "To
deny Jews the right to full citizenship and the right
to observe the laws of the country is tantamount to
saying they have had no right to live. That idea is
repugnant to our sense of fair play. The Jewish citizens
as we know them in this country are excellent citizens,
worthy in every way of all rights and privileges that
we enjoy under the British flag". (S.M.H. May
19 1933)

Unfortunately, not all Australians felt the same
way. The right-wing magazine Argus commented that
"Australia, though her indignation is deep and
her sympathy sincere, can absorb but a few thousand
of them at most. It is in reality not a problem for
Australia, but for Europe " At the Evian
Conference in 1938, Australia was represented
by the Minister for Trade and Customs, T. W. White,
who expressed this attitude:

"Australia has her own particular difficulties migration
has naturally been predominantly British, and it (is
not) desired that this be largely departed from while
British settlers are forthcoming.

Realising the unhappy plight of German and Austrian
Jews, they have been included on a pro rata basis
comparable with that of any other country Under
the circumstances Australia cannot do more, for it
will be appreciated that in a young country manpower
from the source from which most of its citizens have
sprung is preferred, while undue privileges cannot
be given to one particular class of non-British subjects
without injustice to others.

It will no doubt be appreciated also that as we have
no real racial problem, we are not desirous of importing
one by encouraging any scheme of large-scale foreign
migration I hope that the conference will find
a solution of this tragic world problem."

In summary, at Evian Australia agreed to accept 15
000 Jewish refugees over a period of three years.
However, many politicians were mindful of public fears
that too many Jewish refuges would take jobs from
Australian workers. As Mr Green, Member for Kalgoorlie,
explained to Parliament on June 15 1939:

"I desire to discuss what many honourable members
might regard as a ticklish subject, namely, the policy
of admitting
15 000 Jewish refugees to Australia during the next
three years. I do not wish to be misunderstood. My
opposition to this proposal is far stronger than if
the immigrants were of the Nordic race, and came from
Northern European countries, from the north of Italy
or from Jugo-Slavia. People from those places would
help to develop Australia.

I recognise that many Jews have rendered signal service
to humanity, and this is true of the Jews in Australia
also. To such men as the late Sir John Monash, and
the ex-Governor General, Sir Isaac Isaacs, we must
all lift our hats. It seems true, however, that we
have plenty of trades and business people in Australia
now, and the Jews who are coming here will be of no
help to a producing country like Australia. For every
Jew who is given a professional job in Australia,
an Australian will be shut out.

Why is it necessary for the Jews to leave Europe?
I have no anti-Jewish feeling, and no racial hatred.
I recognise that the Australian-born Jew has as much
right in Australia as ourselves. They have the same
ideals as we have, but the Jew born in Argentina or
Germany, or in the United States of America, is international
in his outlook. Australian workers are being dismissed,
and their place taken by refugees so far as
Australia is concerned they are not required here."

"The Dunera"
Shortly after Australia declared war on Germany, those
Jewish refugees who had arrived before the war from
Germany, Austria and Hungary were labelled as "enemy
aliens". It was feared that they would act as
spies for the Nazis, no consideration being given
to the fact that they were themselves victims of the
Nazi regime. All enemy aliens were required to report
regularly to the local police, receive a police pass
if they wished to travel outside their police area
and had to surrender their radios, binoculars and
cameras. All their mail was also censored. Some enemy
aliens were also interned, initially at Hay, New South
Wales, and later at Tatura, Victoria and Loveday,
South Australia. Many of the men felt bitter and hurt
at being interned, especially as they were often housed
with "enemy aliens" who were Nazi supporters.

Watercolour of the Hay
camp by internee Fritz Schonbach

Australia's decision to intern
refugees from enemy countries was not unique. Indeed,
Britain interned so many such refugees that by the mid
1940s she requested assistance from Commonwealth countries
to accept some. Canada and Australia both agreed and
in mid-1940, 2542 internees were sent to Australia on
the "Dunera", a hellish voyage where all suffered
privation, while many were robbed of their property
and suffered brutality and physical abuse at the hands
of their British guards.

Once in Australia they joined other refugees at Hay
and, later, Tatura. While awaiting release, the "Dunera
Boys" developed a rich cultural and intellectual
programme at their camp, giving concerts and establishing
an unofficial university. The small group of strictly
Orthodox Jews also managed to organise a kosher kitchen.
After a period of time the injustice of their situation
was realised and they were permitted to return to
Britain.

About half of the "Dunera" internees returned
to Britain while many of the rest volunteered for
service in Australian Military Forces (AMF) employment
companies. As "enemy aliens" they were not
permitted to handle weapons; many highly qualified
refugees ended up loading railway trucks and ships,
mostly in the Eighth Australian Employment Company.

"Dunera Boys"
of the 8th Employment company

Liberal-minded citizens such as Bishop Pilcher, and
some Jewish leaders campaigned vigorously for a review
of the refugees' status. An Aliens Classification
and Advisory Committee was established under the chairmanship
of Arthur Calwell, Minister for Information. The status
of refugees from Nazism was eventually redefined,
"friendly aliens".

For further details, read Rutland,
S. (1997) The Edge of the Diaspora, Sydney, Brandl, Schlesinger